Continuous web winding rollstand



Oct. 18, 1966 w. F. HUCK CONTINUOUS WEB WINDING ROLLSTAND Filed Sept. 9,1963 amkzou INVENTOR.

WILLIAM F. HUCK A ORNEY Oct. 18, 1966 w. F. HUCK CONTINUOUS WEB WINDINGROLLSTAND 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 9, 1963 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM F- HUCK AT RNEY Oct. 18, 1966 w. F. HUCK 3,279,716

CONTINUOUS WEB WINDING ROLLSTAND Filed Sept. 9, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 5Fig.4

INVENTOK WILLIAM F. HUCK A ORNE$ Oct. 18, 1966 w. F. HUCK 3,279,716

CONTINUOUS WEB WINDING ROLLSTAND Filed Sept. 9, 1963 4 Sheets-$heet 4Fig.6

4 A VI ll H T0 SEVERING CONTROL RELAY FROM 83 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM F. HUCK A RNEY United States Patent 3,279,716 CONTINUOUS WEBWINDING ROLLSTAND William F. Huck, 81 Greenway Terrace, Forest Hills,N.Y. Filed Sept. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 307,483 16 Claims. (Cl. 242-56) Thisinvention relates to apparatus for winding continuously running webs offlexible materials such as paper, cloth, metal or plastic foil, and thelike, into the form of rolls which are to be used for furtherprocessing. More particularly, it relates to apparatus for automaticallyand continuously winding either blank webs or webs having repetitivepatterns thereon into successions of rolls having precisely controlledqualities of size and layer tension, without interruption of thedelivery of the webs to the apparatus.

In the use of continuous web processing machines such, for example, ashigh speed printing presses it is important to be able to deliver theprocessed web to a winding mechanism without interruption, for otherwiseexpenses and losses of production are suffered when the machines arestopped for the replacement of a wound web roll -by an empty roll coreon a winding spindle.

In current practices, semi-automatic apparatus is used to sever the webbeing rewound and lead its new leading end around an empty core withoutstopping the web processing machine. In the use of this apparatus,however, extensive wastes of the web occur, due partly to the tendencyof operators, in order to avoid any interruption of the machine, toinitiate the winding onto a new core when a considerable amount of theweb could still be wound onto the winding roll. Accordingly, there hasbeen a trend in the printing industry to reduce the number oftransitions from roll to core by providing capacity for larger andlarger rolls; but any relief available in this way tends to be offset bythe fact that web speeds are also continually increasing as faster andmore economical presses are designed.

The common winding apparatus has another important shortcoming in thatit does not enable the circumference of a final layer of the web on eachwound roll to be controlledaccurately. The lack of this quality in therolls may lead to difliculty and expense in the subsequent processing ofthe web when it is a printed web that must be brought into register withoperations of the machine subsequently processing it.

Among the known forms of web winding apparatus are some in which eachwinding web roll is driven by one or more rotating drums continuouslyurged into positive line contact with its surface. This technique is notsatisfactory for high speed operations, for when the roll size and theweb speed are increased beyond rather narrow limits, a disproportionateincrease in roll momentum results and the limited line contact betweendrum and roll is no longer able to control properly the surfaceconditions of the winding roll; so the wound rolls produced under theseconditions are not acceptable.

Sometimes the winding roll rests by gravity upon the drum drive. In suchcases, its pressure increases as it grows in size, causing an increaseof tension from one layer to the next outer layer of the roll. Soextensive is this tension increase that rolls wound in this manner havebeen known to develop radial cracks in their outer layers. Thelikelihood of such damage is aggravated when the rolls are to be storedfor lengthy periods before they are used, with exposure to variations ofhumidity and temperature and possibly to rough handling in the course ofstorage.

Efforts to overcome these problems have included locating the axes ofthe driving drum and winding roll "ice in a horizontal plane, but thisnecessitates relatively large and heavy movable supports for the drum orthe roll, as well as auxiliary equipment for maintaining a finelyregulated but relatively high pressure between drum and roll. Anotherremedy is to provide apparatus for measuring the size of the roll duringwinding and accordingly modifying the speed of the drum and/ or thepressure between the drum and roll to provide an essentially constanttension in each web layer forming the roll. This involves complexmeasuring, computational and correction means, the cost of which can bejustified only under special circumstances.

It is also known to wind webs into rolls by variable speed motorsdriving the roll cores, usually with the output speed of the motorvaried in inverse proportion to the growth of the roll. The equipmentrequired for this purpose is complex and expensive, and an intrinsicdisadvantage is that as the winding roll grows in size the core driveplaces an ever increasing strain on the core and layers of the web nearthe core. Hence, it is typical of core wound rolls that the tensiondecreases from one layer to the next outer layer. The attendantincreased strain on inner layers of the roll gives rise to seriousregister problems is the processing [of printed webs core wound intorolls, for it tends to stretch the web permanently so that when a rollof it is unwound the length of a pattern printed on the web comesgreater as the roll gets smaller. The wound web then can no longer beregistered accurately to a machine processing it. Moreover, it isprobably a greater disadvantage that there is no effective control overthe web tension at the surface of the winding roll, as a result of whichthe tension in each roll varies greatly from layer to layer and therolls end to be comically shaped or otherwise eccentric or to bedishedout by telescoping adjacent layers of the web, having too littletension in the layers near the core at the beginning of the winding andtoo much tension in these layers at the conclusion of the winding.

Further disadvantages arise in the apparatus currently employed forautomatically severing the winding web and bringing its new leading endinto winding relation to a new roll core, from the fact that the newcore is brought up to the web speed by a drive, con-trolled separatelyfrom that of the nearly fully wound roll. Electrical controls usuallyare provided for first measuring the web speed and then adjustingcorrespondingly the speed of the core drive. It is difficult, however,to match the speed of the empty roll core to that of the winding webwhere the drives are separate. Further, in high speed web processingoperations breakage of the web often occurs before the speeds of the twodrives can be equalized; and when such breakage does not occur, thelayer to layer tension in the roll often varies over such a wide rangethat the wound roll may be unusable.

It is accordingly a. principal object to the present invention toprovide a continuous web winding rollstand apparatus which effectivelyovercomes the above mentioned disadvantages of the apparatus currentlyused.

A further object of the invention is to provide a-pparatus by which aweb printed or otherwise formed with patterns repeating at regularintervals therealong will be wound continuously into rolls having anaccurately controlled size, each of which may be produced with an outerwind of the web containing a precise number of the patterns so that thewound web may be easily brought into register with operations of amachine subsequently processing it.

According to one feature of the invention the web running continuouslyto the winding rollstand from a machine processing the web is, uponbeing severed at the completion of the winding of one roll, moved intowinding engagement with a new roll core the periphery of which is keptmoving exactly at the speed of the web when it takes up the new leadingend therof and while it is built up in diameter by the winding of theweb into the new roll, until the new roll is fully wound.

Among other things, the invention provides in this connection anorganization of means for driving the core for a new roll and means forsevering the winding web and immediately tucking its new leading endinto winding engagement with the new core and the drive thereof, wherebythe transition of the Web from a fully wound roll to a new core iseffected quickly and reliably without causing harmful variations of thespeed or the tension of the winding web.

According to another feature of the invention, while the speeds of boththe winding web and the new core and roll are kept synchronized bothbefore and after the transition of the web from a fully wound roll tothe new core, the tension in the winding web is also maintainedsubstantially constant throughout the winding of each roll,notwithstanding that each roll is given, and is displaced between,different positions as it is wound in order that its place may be takenautomatically by a new core and roll to keep the web winding withoutinterruption. In this way a substantially constant and equal web tensionis provided in each layer of each wound roll, and the rolls are producedin true cylindrical forms which are eminently suited for a storage andeventual unwinding for further processing.

' Other important features of the invention reside in the provision ofmeans by which the final diameter of each wound roll is preciselycontrolled when the web being wound is a blank web or is to be woundwithout regard to the locations of marks or patterns carried upon itand, further, in the provision of means whereby in the winding of a webhaving repetitive patterns thereon each of the wound rolls is producedwith an outer wind having a precisely determined circumferencecontaining a predetermined desired number of the patterns. This outerwind when desired then may be covered by a predetermined number ofprotective layers of the web before the web is severed for removal ofthe roll from the winding rollstand.

The above mentioned and other objects, features and advantages of theinvention and ways of putting it into practice will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description and the accompanying drawings ofillustrative embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial side elevation of a web winding rollstand embodyingthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof with the winding roll at finalwinding position;

FIG. 3 is a partial side elevation thereof at the moment of transitionfrom a wound roll to a new roll core;

FIG. 4 shows diagrammatically relative positions of a fully wound roll,a new winding roll and the drives for these rolls as the winding roll isdisplaced from initial toward normal winding position;

FIG. 5 is a view of a portion of the rollstand as seen along line 5-5 ofFIGURE 1; and

FIG. 6 is a diagram of an automatic triggering circuit useful forcontrolling the actuation of the web severing knife.

The web winding rollstand shown in the drawings functions during thegreater period of its operations to Wind a web W running continuously toit from a web l sented by registers marks M printed or otherwise formedalong one edge of the web.

The winding roll R1 is held in the position seen in FIG. 1, which may beconsidered its normal winding position, by means of an indexable rollsupport 13 which is mounted on a central shaft 14 for movement in stepsthrough a complete revolution. The support 13' includes two parallelarms which hold between their ends 13a at one side of the shaft 14spindles 15a on which are mounted the core C1 of a roll such as thewinding roll R1, their ends 13b at the other side of the shaft carryingsimilar spindle 15b to recieve the core C2 for a new roll to be wound bythe apparatus.

By rotation of the roll support, each new rol-l core such as core C2 isdisplaceable from the position shown in FIG. 1, which corresponds tosaid normal winding position of the winding roll C2, to an initialwinding position seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, which corresponds to a finalwinding position of winding roll R1. Then the new roll winding upon thecore is displaceable stepwise to and through the said normal and finalwinding positions.

Thus, there are two principal working positions of the roll support. Inone of them, that of FIG. 1, the main winding of each roll takes placewhile the preceding wound roll is brought to a stop, removed from thesupport and replaced by a core for a new roll; and in the other of them,that of FIG. 2, the winding of each roll is completed and the Web issevered and transferred to the new roll core in initiation of thewinding of the succeeding roll. Each roll thus is wound at and displacedbetween initial, normal and final winding positions, until it is fullywound.

The movements of the roll support 13 are effected by means of a gear 16secured to shaft 14 and engaged by a pinion 17 mounted on the outputshaft of an electric motor 18.

The web W enters the rollstand from the right-hand side as seen in thedrawings, passing under guide roller 20, over floating roller 21, overguide roller 22, and then to and upon the winding ioll R1 in theposition seen in FIG. 1.

The roll driving belt flight 10a keeps the web W winding upon the rollR1 at precisely the speed at which the web is delivered to the rollstandand also keeps the winding web under substantially constant tension. Itso functions by virtue of a drive transmission including a variablespeed coupling 25 which connects the belt driving pulley 11 with thedrive of the web processing machine and, upon any variation of thetension of the web W sensed by the floating roller 21, transientlyvaries the speed of the roll drive so as to eliminate the tensionvariation.

This drive transmission includes a variable diameter V-belt pulley 26connected to the pulley 11, a V-belt 27 connecting pulley 26 with apulley 28 on shaft 29, and gears and shafts 30, 31, 32 and 33 drivingthe shaft 29 and V-belt pulley 28 from and synchronously with the driveof the web processing machine. The variable diameter pulley 26 ispreferably of the type disclosed in US. Patent 2,812,666. It changes itsradius of contact with the V-belt in instantaneous response tovariations of the tension of that belt and contains an internal springarrangement always urging it toward its maximum belt contact radius inopposition to the tension of the V-belt 27.

The V-belt 27 is tensioned variably by a roller 35 which is carried onarms 36 and a shaft 37 for movement with arms 38 supporting the floatingweb-guiding roller 21. One of the arms 38 is connected with a piston 39slidable freely in a cylinder 40 into which a fluid under regulatedpressure is admitted constantly so as to press the floating roller 21constantly against the web W in counteraction to the tension of the weband, at the same time, to press the belt tensioning roller 35 constantlyagainst the V-belt 27 in counteraction to the spring force acting in thevari able diameter pulley 26.

Accordingly, whenever the tension of the winding web W decreases to anextent sensible by roller 21, the pressure in cylinder 40 displaces therollers 21 and 35 incrementally to increase the relative speed of thedriving pulley 26, belt driving pulley 11 and belt and thereby increasethe winding speed of the roll R1 and web W until the web tension isagain at the predetermined value set by the pressure in the cylinder;and the converse actions occur whenever the tension of the winding webincreases sensibly.

As indicated in FIG. 1, a photoelectric scanner including a light source41 and a photoelectric cell 42 is provided adjacent to the normalwinding position of each winding roll, so that when the winding roll,such as roll R1, grows to a certain diameter approaching its desiredfinal diameter, the light beam to cell 42 will be interrupted and asignal generated to energize the motor 18 and index the roll support 13through a quarter turn to the position it occupies in FIGS. 2-4.

In the course of this indexing movement, the winding roll R1 continuesto be engaged non-slippably and to be driven at the web speed by theextended belt flight 10a, the position of which is adapted automaticallyto the increasing size and the displacement of the winding roll by theaction of the belt positioning pulley 12a. That pulley is mounted onpistons 43 which are displaceable in fluid pressure cylinders 44, sothat its position will be adjustable at any time by a displacement ofthe winding roll and yet, at all times, it will press the belt flight10a against the winding roll with a constant force determined by thefluid pressure in the cylinders 44.

The indexing of the roll support swings the new roll core C2 clockwiseto its initial winding position. After it reaches that position, aswingable drive mechanism 50 is brought into non-slipping peripheralengagement with it, to drive it to the speed of the winding web and thencontinuously at that speed while the web is transferred to it and as theweb winds upon it during the initial winding period of the resulting newroll.

The drive mechanism 50 includes a driving belt 51 or group of laterallyspaced belts, trained about a driving pulley 52 and about guide pulleys53a, 53b and 53c which are carried in pairs of laterally spaced leverarms 54 and 55. The arms 54 are mounted for swinging movement about theaxis of a shaft 56 which is concentric with driving pulley 52 and with adriven belt pulley 57 secured to pulley 52. The arms 55 are pivoted tothe lower ends of the arms 54 for relative swinging movement about theaxis of pulley 53a; and they have an extension connected by a tensionspring 58 with an extension of arms 54.

The lever arms 54 have an upper end connected with the piston rod 59 ofa double-acting fluid pressure cylinder 60 which, when under pressure atits outer end, swings and holds the drive mechanism 50 away from thepath of the roll core. When cylinder 60 is under pressure at its innerend it swings the drive mechanism 50 counterclockwise so as to bring thedriving belt 51 into and hold it in firm driving engagement with theperiphery of the core C2, with the core nestled into a large wrap whichit forms in the driving flight 51a of the belt, as indicated in FIG. 2.

The tension of the belt 51 against the core then is determined by thetension of spring 58. By reason of spring 58 and the pressure incylinder 60, the drive 50 will continue to act with like tension uponthe new winding roll started on the core C2, by adapting its position tothe increasing size of this roll and further, as indicated in FIG. 5, byadapting its position to the change of position of this roll whichoccurs during a part of the travel of the new roll to normal windingposition.

The pulleys 52, 57 driving the belt 51 are coupled positively with thedriving pulley 11 of belt 10 through a transmission belt 61 and a pulley62 rotated with the variable diameter V-belt pulley 26. The belt 51driving the core and the new winding roll thus is driven always atprecisely the same speed as the driving belt 10 for the winding rolldisposed at the normal and final winding positions, hence always atprecisely the same speed as the web W.

As indicated in FIG. 2, the new core C2 in initial winding position isin close proximity to the length of web W running to the winding roll R1in final winding position. It also has associated with it a pinch roller63 for pressing this web length into non-slipping engagement with itsperiphery and, further, a web severing mechanism which includes a knife70 at one side of the web, at a location between the core and thewinding roll, and a coacting cutting anvil 71 at the opposite or coreside of the web.

The pinch roller 63 is carried between the lower ends of levers 64 whichare fulcr urned on shaft 65 and have an upper arm connected to thepiston 66 of a fluid pressure cylinder 67. The upper arm also carries alatch pin 68 coacting with a pivoted latch 69 which is positioned by thepiston rod 6% of a fluid pressure cylinder 6%.

In the place of a roller as shown at 63 a brush may be used to press theweb against the new roll core as the web is severed, when the core haspressure-sensitive adhesive applied to it for adhering the new web endto its surface.

The knife 70 for severing the web includes blades disposed laterally ofthe belt flight or flights 10a in well known manner. The blades arefixed to one end of levers 72 which are fulcrumed on a pin 73 mounted inthe lower arms of the levers 64 and are connected at their other end tothe piston rod 74 of a fluid pressure cylinder 75. This cylinder ispivotably connected to an arm 76 mounted on shaft 65, so that the knifelevers 72 and knife 70 are positioned by the levers which position thepinch roller but will be moved clockwise relative to the latter tothrust the knife across the path of the winding web upon the admissionof fluid pressure into the lower end of the cylinder 75.

The anvil 71 is mounted on the free ends of the lever arms 55 whichcarry the guide pulley 53b of the driving belt 51. As seen in FIG. 2,when the drive mechanism 50 is held by cylinder 60 in driving engagementwith the core C2, the levers 64 are positioned by cylinder 67 with theirlatch pin 68 restrained by latch 69, with roller 63 engaging the webrunning next to the periphery of core C2, and with the knife 70 poisednear to the web W. In that condition of the mechanisms the anvil 71 isheld by the arms 55 in position to coact with the knife edge and ensurea clean cut through the web when the knife is swung by cylinder 75across the web path and over the anvil.

As is also evident from FIGS. 2 and 3, the knife has an upper surface70a extended laterally away from its cutting edge by a considerabledistance and lying generally in the direction of its movement about pin73. This extended surface serves as a guiding means for the new leadingweb end E2 produced by the cut of the knife. It engages that web end asthe cut is made, and then, as it is swung farther clockwise as seen inFIG. 3, it guides the web end E2 into engagement with the periphery ofthe core C2 at a location where the web end will be tucked and grippedbetween the belt flight 51a and the core C2 to initiate the winding of anew roll.

A guide horn 78 may be positioned over the top side of the core C2 toconfine the new web end E2 near to the surface of the core so that itwill not be doubled up or crumpled as it passes from the belt flight 51ato a location beneath the second wind of the web on the new core.

Reverting now to conditions of the winding roll R1 indexed to its finalwinding position, the apparatus is provided with a control system forsensing the size of this roll and acting when it reaches a predetermineddesired size to actuate the described mechanisms for severing thewinding web and guiding its new leading end onto the new roll core.

While a photoelectric sensing device of the type shown at 41-42 in FIG.1 can be employed in this control system when the winding web is blankor when it is not to be wound to any precisely determined number ofpatterns in its circumference, an important feature of the inventionconsists in the provision of apparatus that will bring the win-ding rollto a precisely measured circumference containing a predetermined desirednumber of pattern lengths of the web and thereupon will trigger thetransition to a new winding roll.

For this purpose, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, two photoelectric scanningheads 80 and 81 are arranged to direct light beams into the path of theregister marks M on the outermost web layer winding onto the -roll R1 infinal winding position. These heads produce convergent light beams sospaced apart that at a certain diameter and circumference of the rollthe distance between the points of impingement of the two beams upon itssurface will correspond to the chordal dimension of a pattern length ofthe web in a wind of the web having the circumference that contain thedesired number of pattern lengths.

Accordingly, when the roll R1 becomes wound to that certain diameter andcircumference, two of the register marks M on its outermost windintercept the two light beams simultaneously, and the photoelectriccells contained in the scanning heads then generate a control signal bywhich other electrical elements of the control system located at acontrol panel 85, are caused to activate the web severing and transfermechanisms.

The scanners and 81 may be activated automatically by the closing of alimit switch 83 engaging the surface of the winding roll, at a momentwhen the diameter of the roll is a little less than that required togive the desired number of pattern lengths in its circumference.

Soon thereafter the scanners will generate the said control signal, inresponse to which the mechanisms last mentioned are actuated to moverapidly from the readyto-sever positions indicated in FIG. 2 to the webtrans ferring positions indicated in FIG. 3. More specifically, thelever 64, then under clockwise pressure from cylinder 67, is releasedfrom the latch 69, thus moving roller 63 to press the web tightlyagainst core C2, and pressure acting in the lower end of cylinder 75thrusts the knife 70 quickly across the path of the Web W, over theanvil 71 and toward the core to guide the new web end E2 to the surfaceof the core at a location between this surface and belt flight 51a.

By the introduction of a limited time delay into the response of thecontrol elements to the signal from the scanners, the severing of theweb will be caused to occur at a moment sufificiently later than that ofthe generation of the control signal to ensure that a desired number ofprotective layers of the web will be wound onto the roll R1 over thewind thereof having precisely the desired circumference.

When the web W has been severed and its trailing end E1 wound upon theroll R1, this roll in fully wound condition continues to be driven bybelt flight a until the new roll winding on core C2 at initial windingposition has acquired enough winds to be displaced securely to thenormal winding position occupied by roll R1 as seen in FIG, 1. The newwinding roll is so displaced by actuation of the motor 18 to index theroll support 13 another quarter turn. In the course of its movement awayfrom initial winding position, as indicated in FIG. 4, it is fol lowedand continues to be driven by belt flight 51a, due to the continuingpressure of cylinder 60 on the swingable lever arms 54, 55 supportingthe belt 51, until it has been brought into secure peripheral drivingengagement with belt flight 10a.

At the same time, the fully wound roll R1 is displaced away from finalwinding position to the position of core C2 as seen in FIG. 1, whereuponit moves free of the belt flight 10 and its rotation is stopped by theactuation of suitable braking means, such as a conventional air brake 86acting upon a spindle at one end of the roll core C1 (FIG. 5).

According to another feature of the apparatus here shown, the core ofeach winding roll is also provided with a mechanism which applies to thecore an overspeed torque whereby a desired degree of tightness ismaintained in web layers wound upon the core to keep them from slippingthereon as the roll grows in size. This mechanism is especially usefulin the winding of relatively smooth web materials which may tend totelescope or slip at layers closest to the core even though the windingweb and the roll driving belts are kept under substantially constanttension.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the overspeed torque is provided by belts 90aand 9% which run over pulleys 91a and 91b respectively on spindles ofthe cores C1 and C2 and are driven from a common pulley mounted forrotation on the roll support shaft 14. The pulley 92 is secured to apulley 93 driven by a belt 94 whichextends over a pulley 95 rotated withthe drives for the roll driving belts 10 and 51. The drive transmissionto each belt 90a or 90b causes the belt to move at a speed slightlygreater than that of pulley 91a or 91b, and the tension of the belt isregulated so that it will slip continually on this pulley and yet willdeliver through it to the related core "a supplemental torquesuflicien-t to keep the Web layers wound closest to the core in a tight,non-slipping condition.

A typical sequence of operations of the described continuous web windingapparatus may now be described. It will be understood that the controlsystem employed may make use of various electrical and/or pneumaticcontrol elements of well known forms, including, for example, relays ofthe latching type, limit switches, pushbuttons, pneumatic fluid presurecylinders, solenoidoperated air valves, and pressure regulating valves,in any of various suitable circuit arrangements. The particular controlelements and control operations here mentioned are merely illustrative.

(1) With the parts in the condition seen in FIG. 1. the roll R1increases to nearly its desired final size and then interrupts the lightbeam from source 41 to cell 42, whereupon a relay is deenergized toclose a circuit to a motor control that energizes motor 18. The rollsupport 13 then is indexed clockwise to the position shown in full linesin FIG. 2. This operation may be effected by a pushbutton wheneverdesired.

(2) When the roll R1 reaches the final winding position, its peripherydepresses limit switch 83 whereby:

(a) The motor control relay is reenergized to stop motor 18; a

(b) The scanning heads and 81 and panel are activated;

(c) A relay is energized to shift a solenoid air valve connected withthe backward end of cylinder 67 so that said end is vented and thesevering lever system 64 is moved to the position seen in FIG. 2, wherelatch 69 restrains it against further movement; and

(d) Through the same relay, a relay is energized to shift a solenoid airvalve connected with the air cylinder 60 of belt drive 50, thusadmitting pressure to the backward end of this cylinder so that itswings the levers 54 and 55 counterclockwise to position belt flight 51aabout the new roll core C2 as seen in FIG. 2.

The core C2 is now driven precisely at the speed of the web W and theapparatus is ready for the web severing and transfer operations.

(3) When the roll R1 is wound to the desired final size, a relayactuated in response to a signal generated by the scanning heads 80, 81,or one actuated by hand or by a scanner like that at 41, 42 in FIG. 1,is energized to move switches whereby:

(a) A solenoid air valve vents the forward end of the latch cylinder69b, causing pressure in its backward end to move latch 69 away from pin68, whereupon cylinder 67 moves the levers 64 farther clockwise untilroller 63 has pinched the web W into direct running contact with theperiphery of core C2;

(b) A time delay relay is energized and acts, after a predeterminedbrief interval suflicient for a few protective layers of the web to bewound over a web layer of required circumference, to close a circuit toa solenoid air valve connected with the knife operating cylinder 75,whereupon the upper end' of this cylinder is vented and pressure in itslower end thrusts the knife 70 rapidly across the path of the web W,over the anvil 71 and into the gap where belt flight 51a moves onto thecore C2. The web thus is severed to form a new leading end E2 and aloose trailing end E1 of roll R1, the former being guided to the coreand tucked between it and belt flight 51a and the latter being woundonto the finished roll by belt flight a.

(4) The timing-out action under 3(b) also energizes a second time delayrelay which, after a predetermined time interval sufficient for thewinding of initial layers of the web securely upon the core C2, closes aswitch whereby:

(a) Motor 18 is again energized, to index the roll suport 13 clockwiseaway from the position shown in FIG. 2; and

(b) The solenoid valve connected with cylinder 67 is deenergized toreverse the action of this cylinder, thus swinging levers 64counterclockwise to their retracted position seen in FIG. 1.

(5) When the levers 64 reach their retracted position they depress alimit switch 88, whereby:

(a) The solenoid valve connected with knife operating cylinder 75 isdeenergized to reverse the action of this cylinder and swing knife 70counterclockwise to its retracted position;

7 (b) The solenoid valve connected with belt drive cylinder 60 isdeenergized to reverse the :action of this cylinder and swing the levers54, 55 and-belt drive 50 clockwise into their retracted position seen inFIG. 1; and

(c) A relay is energized to shift a solenoid air valve connected withthe air brake 86, so that this brake is actuated to stop the rotation ofthe fully wound roll R1.

(6) As the roll support 13 reaches the position shown in FIG. 1, itmoves a switch by which:

(a) The power supply to motor 18 is cut off;

(b) The action of the latch cylinder 69b is reversed to return latch 69to the position seen in FIG. 1; and

(c)- The relays in control circuits of the motor 18 and the air brake 86are deenergized.

Thus the sequence of operations is completed. The apparatus with the newroll winding on core C2 at normal winding position becomes ready toenter into a repeating cycle upon replacement of the fully wound roll R1by another new roll core.

Referring more particularly to the roll measuring action of the twophotoelectric scanning heads 80 :and 81, FIG. 6 of the drawings showsdiagrammatically one form of a triggering circuit which may be providedat the control panel 85 to generate the required control signal inresponse to signals from those heads.

. As indicated in FIG. 6, the scanner 81 casts a light beam upon thesurface of roll R1 and by detecting light reflected from this surfaceemits pulses carried to point A of the first stage of a multiple-stagevibrator circuit. Point A normally is at negative potential, and thefirst half of twin triode tube V-1 in the first stage is biased so thatit is normally non-conducting.

When a dark register mark M on the web of roll R1 intercepts the beamfrom head 81, the potential of point A increases and a positive pulse isapplied to the first half of tube V-l, whereupon the first vibratorstage sends a positive pulse to point B of the triggering circuit.

The other scanner 80, by emitting a beam to the roll surface anddetecing the reflected light, normally emits pulses holding point D ofthe second vibrator stage at a positive potential. The first half oftwin triode tube V-2 in this stage is normally non-conducting and willconduct only When the second half of the same tube is driven to cut-offby a negative pulse passing through capacitor C Points C and D in thiscircuit being at essentially the same positive potential in staticcondition, a pulse coming from the first vibrator stage has no effect onthe second vibrator stage unless, at the same instant, scanner alsodetects a reduction in reflected light such as occurs when a registermark M on the wound web intercepts its light beam.

When scanner 80 is thus momentarily deprived of light, the points C andD lower to zero (ground) potential, and if a pulse is emanating at thesame moment from point B in the first vibrator stage, this positivepulse, reversed in phase by the differentiating network of capacitor Cand resistor R will pass through diode D to the second vibrator stageand cause it to generate a pulse of predetermined magnitude anddirection at point E leading to the third vibrator stage.

When the second vibrator stage generates such a pulse, point E acquiresa more positive potential, thus activating the third twin triode tubeV-3. This tube then emits a pulse or control signal which, limit switch83 then being closed, energizes the relay through which the latchcylinder 69b is actuated to commence the web severing operations abovedescribed.

The subject matter of this application is related to that of mycopending application Serial No. 786,843, filed January 14, 1959, nowUnited States Patent No. 3,103,320,

It will be understood that the invention herein set forth may beembodied in various arrangements and forms of apparatus other than thoseparticularly described hereinabove and illustrated in the drawings andthat the invention is not restricted to the illustrative embodimentsexcept as may be required for fair construction of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for winding a continuously running web into a succession ofrolls, comprising:

means to rotatably support both a roll winding said web and a core for anew roll to be wound;

means for displacing said support means to displace the winding roll andsaid core respectively through initial, normal and final windingpositions in succession, said core upon reaching said initial positionbeing spaced from but in close proximity to said web running to thewinding roll in said final position;

a first drive to engage non-slipably and drive the periphery of saidwinding roll when it is in said normal and final positions;

a second drive to engage non-slipably and drive the periphery of saidcore when it is in said initial position;

means to drive both of said drives at the speed of said web;

means operative while said core is in said initial position and is beingdriven at said speed by said second drive to sever said web and to guidethe newly created leading end thereof into non-slipping engagement withsaid core, thereby initiating the winding of a new roll;

and means for holding each winding roll non-slipably engaged constantlyby at least one of said drives while the roll is in and while it isdisplaced between all of said positions, until it is fully wound.

2. Apparatus for winding a continuously running web into a succession ofrolls, comprising:

means to rotatably support both a roll winding said web and a core for anew roll to be wound;

means for displacing said support means to displace the winding roll andsaid core respectively through initial, normal and final windingpositions in succession, said core upon reaching said initial positionbeing spaced from but in close proximity to said web running to theWinding roll in said final position;

a first drive to engage non-slipably and drive the periphery of saidwinding roll when it is in said normal and final positions;

a second drive to engage non-slipably and drive the periphery of saidcore when it is in said initial position;

means to drive both of said drives at the speed of said Web;

means operative while said core is in said initial position and is beingdriven at said speed by said second drive to pinch said Web intonon-slipping engagement with the periphery of said core, then to seversaid web at a location between said core and the winding roll, and thento guide the newly created leading end of the web into non-slippingengagement with said core, thereby initiating the winding of a new roll;

and means for holding each winding roll non-slipably engaged constantlyby at least one of said drives while the roll is in and while it isdisplaced between all of said positions, until it is fully wound.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, said second drive comprising anendless belt to engage the periphery of said core, and said guidingmeans being operative to tuck said leading end into a position where itis gripped and driven between said core and said belt.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, and means acting upon the core ofeach winding roll for applying thereto an 'overspeed torque whereby adesired degree of tightness is maintained in web layers wound thereupon.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, and variable speed meansinstantaneously responsive to variations of the tension of said Web tovary transiently the speed of said drives so as to eliminate the tensionvariations.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, and means for actuating saiddisplacing means to move the fully wound roll away from said finalwinding position while moving the new winding roll toward said normalwinding position, and for then automatically braking the fully woundroll to a halt, after the operation of said severing and guiding means.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, said severing and guiding meansincluding:

a cutting anvil and a coacting cutting knife;

means for disposing said anvil and said knife respectively at oppositesides of said web in close proximity thereto prior to the severingoperation, said knife having a cutting edge and a surface extendedlaterally away from said edge;

and means to displace said knife rapidly across the path of said web andover said anvil into lateral engagement with said core, whereby to severthe web and to guide the newly created Web end to said core on saidextended surface,

8. Apparatus for Winding a continuously running web into a succession ofrolls, comprising:

means to rotatably support both a roll winding said web and a core for anew roll to be wound;

means for displacing said support means to displace the winding roll andsaid core respectively through initial, normal and final windingpositions in succession, said core upon reaching said initial positionbeing spaced from but in close proximity to said web running to thewinding roll in said final position;

a first endless belt to engage non-slipably and drive the periphery ofthe winding roll when it is in said normal and final positions;

a second endless belt to engage non-slipably and drive the periphery ofsaid core when it is in said initial position;

means to drive both of said belts at the speed of said web;

means operative while said core is in said initial position and is beingdriven at said speed by said second belt to sever said web and to guidethe newly created leading end thereof into non-slipping engagement withsaid core, thereby initiating the winding of a new roll;

and means for holding each Winding roll non-slipably engaged constantlyby at least one of said belts while the roll is in and while it isdisplaced between all of said positions, until it is fully Wound, saidholding means including displaceable pulleys respectively positioningsaid first and second belts and separate yieldable means respectivelyacting through said pulleys to urge said belts against the winding rolland said core, respectively, with substantially constant predeterminedforces.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, further including means for pressingsaid web into non-slipping contact with the periphery of said core priorto the operation of said web severing means.

10. Apparatus for winding into a succession of rolls a continuouslyrunning Web having repetitive patterns thereon, each occupying a givenlength of the web, comprising:

means to rotatably support both a roll winding said web and a core for anew roll to be Wound;

means for displacing said support means to displace the winding roll andsaid core respectively through initial, normal and final windingpositions in succession, said core upon reaching said initial positionbeing spaced from but in close proximity to said web running to thewinding roll in said final position;

a first drive to engage non-slipably and drive the periphery of saidwinding roll when it is in said normal and final positions;

a second drive to engage non-slipably and drive the periphery of saidcore when it is in said initial position;

means to drive both of said drives at the speed of said web;

means operative while said core is in said initial position and is beingdriven at said speed by said second drive to sever said web and to guidethe newly created leading end thereof into non-slipping engagement withsaid core, thereby initiating the winding of a new roll;

means for holding said winding roll non-slipably engaged constantly byat least one of said drives while the roll is in and while it isdisplaced between all of said positions, until it is fully wound;

scanning means for sensing the circumferential size of said winding rolland generating a control signal at the moment when the outermost wind ofsaid winding roll reaches a circumference containing a predetermineddesired number of said pattern lengths;

and control means responsive to said signal for actuating said severingand guiding means.

11. Apparatus for winding into a succession of rolls a web havingrepetitive patterns thereon, each occupying a given length of the web,comprising:

means to support a roll winding said web;

drive means for continuously rotating said roll until it is fully wound;

means for severing said web at a location ahead of said roll and therebycreating a new leading end of the web to be fixed to a new roll core;

means for measuring an arc traversed by one of said pattern lengths inthe outermost wind of said Winding roll and for generating a controlsignal synchronized to the moment when the angle included by said arereaches a predetermined magnitude corresponding to the presence of apredetermined desired number of said pattern lengths in said outermostwind;

and control means responsive to said signal for actuating said websevering means.

12. Apparatus for winding into a succession of rolls a web havingrepetitive patterns thereon, each occupying a given length of the web,comprising:

means to support a roll winding said web;

drive means for continuously rotating said roll until it is fully wound;

means for severing said web at a location ahead of said roll and therebycreating a new leading end of the web to be fixed to a new roll core;

means for measuring an arc traversed by one of said pattern lengths inthe outermost wind of said winding roll and for generating a controlsignal synchronized to the moment when the angle included by said arereaches a predetermined magnitude corresponding to the presence of apredetermined desired number of said pattern lengths in said outermostwind;

and control means responsive to said signal for actuating said websevering means and causing the same to sever said web at a furthermoment when a predetermined number of protective layers of the web hasbeen wound upon the wind containing said desired number of patternlengths.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11, and for winding a web having marksregularly spaced apart thereon by a distance corresponding to thepattern length, said scanning means comprising means for directing intothe path of said marks on the periphery of said roll light beams spacedapart by a distance corresponding to the chordal dimension of a patternlength of the web in a wind of the web having said circumference, andphotoelectric means activated to generate said signal upon thesimultaneous interception of said beams by said marks.

14. Apparatus for winding a continuously running Web into a successionof rolls, comprising:

means to rotatably support both a roll winding said web and a core for anew roll to be wound;

means for displacing said support means to displace the winding roll andsaid core respectively through initial, normal and final windingpositions in succession, said core upon reaching said initial positionbeing spaced from but in close proximity to said web running to thewinding roll in said final position;

a first endless belt to engage non-slipably and drive the periphery ofthe winding roll when it is in said normal and final positions;

a second endless belt to engage non-slipably and drive the periphery ofsaid core when it is in said initial position;

means for driving both of said belts at the speed of said web, includingvariable speed means instantaneously responsive to variations of thetension of said web to vary transiently the speed of said drives so asto eliminate the tension variations;

means acting upon the core of each winding roll for applying thereto anoverspeed torque whereby a desired degree of tightness is maintained inweb layers wound thereupon;

means operative while said core is in said initial position and is beingdriven at said speed by said second belt to press said web intonon-slipping engagement with the periphery of said core, then to seversaid web at a location between said core and the winding roll, and thento tuck the newly created leading end of the web into engagement withsaid core at a location between said core and said second belt, therebyiniti ating the winding of a new roll;

means for holding each winding roll non-slipably engaged constantly byat least one of said belts while the roll is in and while it isdisplaced between all of said positions, until it is fully Wound, saidholding means including displaceable pulleys respectively positioningsaid first and second belts and separate yieldable means respectivelyacting through said pulleys to urge said belts against the winding rolland said core, respectively, with substantially constant predeterminedforces;

photoelectric means for generating a control signal when each windingroll reaches a desired size; control means responsive to said signal foractuating said severing and tucking means;

and means for actuating said displacing means to move the fully woundroll away from said final winding position while moving the new windingroll toward said normal winding position, and for then automaticallybraking the fully wound roll to a halt, after the operation of saidsevering and tucking means.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, and for winding 21 web havingthereon repetitive patterns each occupying a given length of the web andmarks regularly spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the patternlength, said scanning means comprising means for directing into the pathof said marks on the periphery of said winding roll light beams spacedapart by a distance corresponding to the chordal dimension of a patternlength of the web in a wind of the web containing a predetermineddesired number of said pattern lengths, and photoelectric meansactivated to generate said signal upon the simultaneous interruption ofsaid beams by said marks.

16. Apparatus according to claim 7, said second drive comprising anendless belt and movable support means carrying pulleys having said belttrained thereover, said support means being swingable to dispose saidbelt in driving engagement with the periphery of said core in saidinitial position, and said anvil being mounted on an end of said supportmeans.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,988,255 1/1935Soons 24257 X 2,334,793 11/ 1943 Scusa 24264 2,357,976 9/1944 Roesen24256 2,586,833 2/1952 Kohler 24256 2,718,362 9/1955 PipelOuX 242562,775,415 12/ 1956 Rush 24275.'5 3,127,122 3/1964 Roshkind 24257 X JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

M. I. COLITZ, J. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner.

11. APPARATUS FOR WINDING INTO A SUCCESSION OF ROLLS A WEB HAVINGREPETITIVE PATTERNS THERETO, EACH OCCUPYING A GIVEN LENGTH OF THE WEB,COMPRISING: MEANS TO SUPPORT A ROLL WINDING SAID WEB; DRIVE MEANS FORCONTINUOUSLY ROTATING SAID ROLL UNTIL IT IS FULLY WOUND; MEANS FORSEVERING SAID WEB AT A LOCATION AHEAD OF SAID ROLL AND THEREBY CREATINGA NEW LEADING END OF THE WEB TO BE FIXED TO A NEW CORE; MEANS FORMEASURING AN ARC TRAVERSED BY ONE OF SAID PATTERN LENGTHS IN THEOUTERMOST WIND OF SAID WINDING ROLL AND FOR GENERATING A CONTROL SIGNALSYNCHRONIZED TO THE MOMENT WHEN THE ANGLE INCLUDED BY SAID ARC REACHES APREDETERMINED MAGNITUDE CORRESPONDING TO THE PRESENCE OF A PREDETERMINEDDESIRED NUM-